"Our Lady of Guadalupe School fosters Gospel values, inspires academic excellence, and develops service and leadership. We face this as a sacramental community united and empowered by the Holy Spirit."
OLG Newsletter – June 4th
June 4, 2015
Dear OLG Families,
What a bittersweet day yesterday was, as we said goodbye to a wonderful 8th grade class and passed the light of leadership on to next year’s 8th graders. It’s such a joy to work with our students and witness their poise, confidence, and their personal and academic growth and accomplishments. Watch for a separate newsletter, honoring our Class of 2015. We miss them already!
Extra-Curricular Program Launched and Growing!
As we wrap up the year, I want to give an update on the Extracurricular Programs that we have been able to launch, through generous 2014-15 School Fund Drive donations.
First of all, you may have seen the recent article in the West Seattle Blog about our OLG School participants in the Facebook ChessWizard Tournament. Matthew N. (1st grade), Sophie N. (3rd grade), and Eleanore K. (1st grade), participants in our after-school ChessWizards camp, competed and brought back a 2nd place Team Division trophy! In addition, Matthew was one of three winners of a 1st place trophy in the Individual Division. Congratulations!
Our Coding Club also just wrapped up for the year. Thanks to Kathleen Sullivan, who facilitated this club, and to Chris Stampe and Richard LeBlanc for providing technical expertise and planning support! The 5th – 8th grade participants were engrossed and eager to learn more. When asked what advice they would give to someone trying computer science for the first time, one of the students said, “Always look for a different angle, or different way to solve the problem.” According to two students, the best part about being a computer scientist is that “you get to bring joy to others in games and other things,” and “doing stuff, not just watching.”
All told, we had 244 participants in 21 extracurricular classes and workshops over the past 12 months – from percussion to project-based math, to robotics, tennis, reading and writing camps, cooking, singing, and more! Special thanks to Jennifer Dempsey who has been instrumental in making this happen through behind-the-scenes organization, and to Chantille Henry who has publicized, set up online registration, and more; we couldn’t have done it without both of you!
In addition, School Fund Drive donations funded the Pacific Science Center’s Math on Wheels program coming to OLG and the Seattle Opera’s Salmon Opera performance at OLG, both benefitting all grade levels!
OLG CYO News
This Sunday, if you’re in the area, stop by Walt Hundley Playfield to cheer on our OLG 7th/8th grade CYO baseball team as they play a championship game beginning at 3:00 pm. Go Bulldogs!
Looking for a repeat of last year’s championship win!
Are you fairly new to the school? The Parent Org is the place for you!
Are you an established family who likes to be involved and serve as a mentor for others in the community? The Parent Org is the place for you!
Do you want to meet new people and build an amazing social network throughout our school community? The Parent Org is the place for you!
Do you like earning automatic commitment hours and having to worry about tracking hours throughout the year? The Parent Org is the place for you!
Do you like to have fun and laugh in good company? The Parent Org is the place for you!
The Parent Org has the following positions available for the upcoming 2015-2016 school year:
Light the Night Chair & Co-Chair (automatic 50 hours) – Plan OLG’s annual Christmas lighting event in December. Use your creativity to continue to make this night a fun and memorable holiday event for our school and parish families!
Parent Org Secretary (automatic 50 hours) – Your main responsibility is to attend Parent Org monthly meetings and take minutes. It’s a great opportunity to be involved, enter into the discussions and be an active part of the committee. This is a great position for new families, as it’s a wonderful way to learn about the school and build a support network along the way! In addition to monthly meetings, you also help at Parent Org events, when available.
eScrip Chair & eScrip Co-Chair (automatic 50 hours) – Do you work and need a way to earn hours on your own time schedule? This is the perfect position for you! Simply coordinate and maintain our eScrip program. This job is much easier than it sounds! It is mostly data entry and providing reports to the E-Scrip program regarding the usage of funds we have received. Learn more about OLG eScrip here. This job can be done from home, on your time. Attend a couple of Parent Org meetings throughout the year, when you’re available, to provide updates on eScrip earnings.
Halloween Carnival Co-Chairs – The Parent Org needs two co-chairs to help the current Halloween Carnival Chair plan and organize this coming year’s event in preparation to take over Halloween Carnival in 2016-2017. This is the perfect position for two creative people who love to plan events and get the school community excited and involved! Our current chair will share all her knowledge and planning materials with you, so when you take over, you can hit the ground running!
Email Erin Stampe if you are interested in any of these spots, or if you have further questions.
Thank you for your support of my family this school year. Your kindness and concern has helped me in so many ways. Your children have shown compassion and love which has filled my heart. I am blessed to be in this community, working alongside a wonderful staff, teaching great children who have loving, involved parents. I don’t think I could have made it through the rest of the year without all of you. Thank you again for your understanding.
This school year, I have emphasized to all classes to find some activity that they enjoy. Riding bikes, jump roping, hula hooping, hiking, swimming, running or dancing. Something they could do almost anywhere and maybe without equipment. Those who are involved in sports are challenged to do something that uses their body in different ways than their sport.
More time was spent jump roping, both individual and long rope and some classes did their own jump rope routine. There were quite a few classes that never tired of jump roping; a four week unit turned into an eight week one. That enthusiasm carries over into a natural routine and a great one for the summer.
During the summer, I am encouraging all students to keep working on jump roping and hula hooping skills. If they have bikes, scooters, skates or trampolines, use them. Learn some new tricks or develop a routine.
Pre-K through 2nd grade should keep working on throwing and catching skills, individually or with a partner, including throwing and catching with their non-dominant hand. Classes have used many things to practice with: bean bags, beanie babies, tennis balls, small balls, scarves and homemade juggling balls (balloons filled with bird seed). Juggling balls are great because they don’t roll away and you can make them in any size, for even small hands to catch. Use a funnel to fill the balloon with bird seed, tie the balloon and cut the rolled end off. Cut the rolled end off of a couple more balloons and use them to cover your tied one. Make two, then they can practice throwing and catching with both hands at once.
Enjoy your summer! Swim, hike, bike ride, walk or run together. Also hang out at the pool or beach, lie in a hammock and read. Move your body, but also rest and re-energize your soul.
Summer Volunteer Needed to Help Organize Church Pews
During the school year, we are blessed by the OLG School 2nd graders who clean out and organize our pews every week. THANK YOU!! But the task is year round and we need a few volunteers to take over during the summer. Our hope is to get enough volunteers to make the job easy and fun. If interested, contact Helen: 206-935-0358.
Join us for our 4th Annual summer film event. Our first film is “Romero” on Tuesday, June 9 at 6:30 pm in the Walmesley Center. It is the true story of Archbishop Oscar Romero who lived in El Salvador during the political unrest in the 1980s. He was a powerful supporter of the poor and marginalized which the government authorities saw as disloyal. He was murdered while celebrating Mass and was recently declared a martyr by Pope Francis. Rated PG-13. Bring your favorite movie treat…popcorn and lemonade provided.
Did you know that OLG has been a meal drop-off site for Chicken Soup Brigade for the past 8 years? This program helps our homebound, aged, and chronically ill neighbors to get groceries and nutritious meals. Food delivery is currently being done by the organization’s staff, so we are looking for some drivers and volunteers who can help them expand their reach in West Seattle. Would you be able to pick up groceries/meals at their distribution center in Georgetown on a Thursday afternoon? Could you be at OLG between 4-5pm on Thursdays to hand out meals to the 5 local clients? Would you have an hour or two on a Tuesday or Thursday afternoon or a Saturday morning to deliver food to 4-7 homebound or ill neighbors? We are looking to form a team so that pick up and delivery could rotate, making it possible to serve just once a month. Interested? Contact Jennifer Ibach at 206-935-0358 x.120.
2:15 pmNew Family Information Night June 8, 2015
Monday
6:30 pm
School Hall
Last Day of School
NOON Dismissal
June 12, 2015
Friday
Please pray for a speedy recovery for Isaac Trius. He is sick and in the hospital.Please pray for David Pedras, for he snapped his achilles heel and had surgery.
Please pray for Fr. Phillip Kramer, uncle of Margy Joe. Fr. Kramer recently died.
Please pray for Minnie Cardenas, grandmother of Cora Cardenas. Minnie recently died.
Please pray for Steve Stabe. Steve is the uncle of Cooper and Marek Hall. He recently went to Heaven.
Please pray for Jovie Samson, aunt of Kaila Lim, and for the Lim family. Jovie recently died.Please pray for Judy Fowler, mother of Chantille Henry and grandmother of Wyatt Henry. Judy is experiencing health challenges, and prayers are appreciated!
Please pray for Lisa Booth, OLG parent, who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and is optimistically undergoing treatment. The Booth family appreciate the support and prayers of our OLG community.
Lisa’s sister has set up the following website which shows how folks can specifically help and also gives details on Lisa’s cancer, treatment plan, etc.
Our Lady of Guadalupe School & Parish acknowledges that we are on the traditional land of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People past and present, and honor with gratitude the land itself and the Duwamish Tribe.